On the Road to the Games: Ambre Papazian, hope for 2024, aim for 2028

At 23, Ambre Papazian is one of the French hopefuls of IQFoil, a new Olympic windsurfing support which will be on the Olympic program for the first time in 2024.

Until the Paris Games, AFP follows the course of the one who trains on the Olympic water level in Marseille.

In this third episode, she tells the level which rises, the unexpected benefits of an injury and the look which is already towards 2028.

It's good.

So it's not the same thing as two years ago and the slightest mistake is 20 places lost.

It's hard but it boosts."

Pause and Confidence

"I injured myself in mid-January, an acromioclavicular sprain. Just before, I was in partials, so I haven't sailed since the end of December, beginning of January. This injury is a bit bad because it's a super-important season. 2023 will condition 2024, with the test-event in Marseille, the Worlds in August, etc. But in the end, I hadn't felt so good for a long time. It allowed me to do a break that was needed. I was able to work a lot in mental preparation and I realized that I had a big deficit in this area which can really change the game. I'm not saying that if I have a better mental condition , I'm going to win everything, of course not. But I feel that it helps me crazy! Now I'm going to go to the Princess Sofia Trophy in Palma with theimpression of having more confidence in myself than if I had raced".

French windsurfer Ambre Papazian takes part in a training session on IQFoil in Marseille, November 18, 2021 © Nicolas TUCAT / AFP/Archives

Awakened hopes

is also what explains my performance.

I have always known that I will not have the same path as some.

But I want to go after my goals and I know that after 2024, there are 2028, 2032... My real goal is the 2028 Olympics.

And there, my idea will not be to be an outsider, but to be successful internationally during the previous seasons.

We sometimes forget that in sailing, experience counts a lot.

Hélène Noesmoen is 30 years old, Delphine Cousin, who also performs, is over 30 years old.

All the best in the world are around 28-30 years old, the same for men and on other supports.

It's not just a physical sport, you need to race to meet new situations and learn".

will not have the same route as some.

But I want to go after my goals and I know that after 2024, there are 2028, 2032... My real goal is the 2028 Olympics.

And there, my idea will not be to be an outsider, but to be successful internationally during the previous seasons.

We sometimes forget that in sailing, experience counts a lot.

Hélène Noesmoen is 30 years old, Delphine Cousin, who also performs, is over 30 years old.

All the best in the world are around 28-30 years old, the same for men and on other supports.

It's not just a physical sport, you need to race to meet new situations and learn".

will not have the same route as some.

But I want to go after my goals and I know that after 2024, there are 2028, 2032... My real goal is the 2028 Olympics.

And there, my idea will not be to be an outsider, but to be successful internationally during the previous seasons.

We sometimes forget that in sailing, experience counts a lot.

Hélène Noesmoen is 30 years old, Delphine Cousin, who also performs, is over 30 years old.

All the best in the world are around 28-30 years old, the same for men and on other supports.

It's not just a physical sport, you need to race to meet new situations and learn".

my idea will not be to be an outsider, but to perform well internationally during previous seasons.